When decorating a home, I always believed that the finishing touch was a vase full of flowers that greeted you at the front door. It is a wonderful gift that you can give to yourself, your family, and your friends as they enter your home. Of course, depending on your budget, this can be done extravagantly or simply. I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorite ideas:

“Stems Vases” – I found these beautiful vases at a Sugarloaf Crafts Festival years ago. They are made by Maria & Jan Schultz out of Anacortes, Washington. What I love about their vases is that they can be filled with flowers, lemons, oranges, and, yes, asparagus! They are simple to use, and their possibilities are endless.

Orchids – What I love about Orchids is that they give a room a calm, cool, elegant look. My favorite color is white, but they can be found in red, orange, purple, green, and pink freckles. You can easily buy them at Trader Joe’s, Home Depot, Safeway, and American Plant Food. Orchids are inexpensive and easy to maintain and stay in bloom for months. Those with a super green thumb can make them bloom again! Unfortunately, I have not figured out that trick yet.

Large Green Leaves in a Clear Glass Vase – I love the idea of this simple arrangement. Just place two large leaves in a vase, and you are done! They last forever.

Roses in a Vase – One of my all-time favorites is buying a bunch of roses from Costco or Safeway and cutting them so they peek out over the lip of the vase. This is a quick and easy way to achieve a casual feel, and it helps keep the roses looking fresh longer.

Florist – There are many gorgeous floral designers in this city. However, one of my favorite places to run in and grab a professional-looking arrangement with high-quality flowers is at Johnson’s Florist and Garden Centers in Kensington, MD. Just go into the refrigerated enclosed area in the back of the store, and you will find the “to-go” arrangements among the buckets and buckets of gorgeous flowers. Johnson’s also has an amazing selection of exotic flowers by the stem.

Try adding some flowers into your living space regularly and see if they greet you with a sense of beauty, peace, and a feeling of home.